Machine for collecting fish



Aug. 22, 1944. P DANIELSSON 2,356,655

' MACHINE FOR COLLECTING FISH Filed July 6, 1942 GSheets-Sheet 1 I I 3mm Pa/uZ Dani \Aug- 1944- PL DANIELSSON MACHINE FDR COLLECTING FISH Filed July 6, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elma/rm- Aug. 22, 1944. P. DANIELSSON I MACHINE FOR COLLECTING FISH Filed-July 6 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 22, 1944.

Filed July 6, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 f 9 g U M Paul Janie-Z650 A P- P. DANIELSSON 1 5 5 MACHINE FOR QOLLECTING FIISH Filed July 6, 1942 v 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Paul M19502.

1944- P. DANIELSSON 2, 6

I MACHINE FOR CCLLECTING FISH I Filed Jui e, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet s s faulknielssan.

Patented Aug. 22, 1944 MACHINE FORCOLLECTING FISH Paul Danielsson, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Arenco Aktiebolag, a Swedish joint-stock con Application July 6, 1942,S erial No. 449,943 In Sweden July 4, 1941 7'Clain s. (01. 17-2) (Granted under the provision of sec. 14, act of March 2,1927; 357 0. G. 5)

This invention relates to the .collecting of fish by threading series of'the fish on to spits for further treatment, and it is an object of the invention to provide a machine for the purpose referred to in the operation of whichthe fish, for instance herrings, will rapidly, easily and safely be collected in rows on spits for further treatment, such as kippering. V

Other objects, uses, advantages and adaptations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of one preferred embodiment of a complete machine, shown in. the appended through the machine by the chain conveyor 1 having the impellers 8, which fit into the notches 6. The. conveyor 1 consists of two parallel chains, each of which runs over a sprocket l loosely journalled in the machine frame 9 and over another sprocket II that is secured to a rodrawings for purposes of illustration. In such drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line II-.-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the machine in the direction IIII]I ofFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevational side view on an enlarged scale of the right hand part of the machine shown in Fig. 2, some parts being omitted.

Figs. 5 and 6 are a plan view and a side view on an enlarged scale of a part of the machine.

Figs. 7 and 8 are a plan view andfa side view on an enlarged scale, illustrating a frame for supporting the spits when advanced through the machine.

Fig. '9 is a sectional view on the line IX-IX of Fig. 7. A Fig. 10 is a plan view on a smaller scale of a modified embodiment of the machine, and Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view on a still smaller scale, taken on the line XI-XI of Fig. 10.

. Referring to the drawings, the fish, for instance herrings, are to be threaded on to spits l, which penetrate the fish when the latter are successively advanced laterally by a conveyor 26.

The spits I are loosely supported in recesses 2 of frames 3. Each frame 3 consists of two parallel longitudinal bars 4 which have U-shaped cross section, so that they have longitudinal grooves 31. The recesses 2.are provided in the inner ribs of the longitudinally grooved bars 4, which are interconnected by cross bars 5. At their ends the Ibars 4 have notches 6, into which fit impellers 8 on a conveyor 1 for feeding the frames 3 through the machine.

The distance between the bars 4,

i. e., between their inner ribs, is less than the length of the spits l, but the distance between "the outer ribs is slightly greater than said length, so that the spits will rest upon the inner ribs of the bars only.

1 The frames 3 are conveyed closely in succession j no pockets, as its tary shaft 82 which is rigidly connected to a,

ratchet wheel l2. *Thelratchetwheel l2 is turned stepwise by a pawl 86 pivoted to an arm 83 pivotally journalledon the shaft 82. The arm 83 is pivoted to one end of a link 84, the other end of which is pivoted to-an arm 81 which is pivctally journalled on a shaft 85 and provided with a roller 88 which, by a spring 89 connected to the arm 81, is urged against'a cam disc l lwhich'is secured to a shaft 60 driven-by means offa-bevel gearing l5. One wheel of the bevel gearing I5 is secured to a rotatable shaft [6, to which is secured a gear wheel llwhich is driven by a smaller gear wheel l8 that is loosely mounted ona shaft 23. The gear Wheel i8 is rigidly co'n- 'nected ,to a larger gear wheel l9, which meshes;

with a smaller gear wheel 20, which is rigidly connected to a larger gear wheel 2| that is loosely mounted on the shaft It. The gear wheel 2| meshes with a smaller gear wheel 22, which is secured to the shaft 23, to which is keyed a belt pulley 24 that is driven by a motor (not shown).

21, secured to the shaft I6 and over two idle sprocket wheels 28. The conveyor chain 26 is provided with carrier plates 29, which at one side of the conveyor have each three short pockets 25,;separated from each other by'partitionsiifl.

The fish are placed belly upwards into the pockets '25 so that their head ends abut against a gauge plate 3|, extending longitudinally of the conveyor '26 at one side thereof. The. pockets 25 are arranged in groups in-such manner that between each group of carrier plates 29 (six, for instance) having pockets there is a plate having corresponding end is cut away Each step of movement of the conveyor 1 corfresponds to the distance between two juxtaposed spits I, resting in a frame} 3 on said conveyor. "After each step of movementof thespit conveyor 1 a spit l is removed from the frame 3 and transferred transversely to the fish conveyor 26 into a position longitudinally thereof, in whichposi-,

tion it rests in a support'form'ed by 'recesses 33 in the partitions or impellers 30 of the fish con- ;veyor. In order to prevent 1ongitudirialdisplacement of the spit I thus resting upon the conveyor partitions 39, one end of the spit I rests against a stationary abutment 34. The transfer of the spits I to the conveyor 26 is performed 42 drives another sprocket 43, secured to the= shaft 35. When the arms 36 have elevated a spit from the frame 3 into a certain level the spit drops out of the arms onto a pair of sloping races formed by bars 44 having L-sha pe d cross sections. The spit I rolls upon the inwardly directed rims ofsaid bars 44 down into the recesses 33 o f the conveyor partitions 30. In the inwardly .directedrim the -L-shaped bars 44 have at their front ends, 1. e., lower ends, astepped recess 59 (Figs. 5 and i i) at the front end of which there is an inwardly curvedend 6| of the vertical rim of the bar. As shown in. Fig. 6, the end 6| of the baris located so that the stepped recesses 59 of the bars 44 arep'sitioned above the recesses33 of the conveyor partitions 30. r The spit I rolling upon the bars 44 drops through the recess 59 in front of the edge 62 (Fig.5), arid thus it is by the fingers 6,! guided into the recesses 33.. At their rear ends, the bars 44 have vanced further transversely to and below the notches 61 through which the arms "36 can pass when they, after having delivere'd a spitto the conveyor 26, are turned downwards Ifhe of the pit Le o wh ch h 1151 i h h he by a r lle 4. hiQh .9 1 'Q E'Q l .1 a a m; o d. on a P ll. Wandwmfidlt a spri g hfath esth rol i m e h l ll h spit end and preve nts deviation of said endwhen thefish are. th ead .c c. sam Wh n. thqfi h slide p n e spit I h 1. .er y e ds lzuehlly a n th h. to be moved. by. t efi hyeyp up n the spit. T ea he dio u h re m 9.1

a ro le 10... w ch., .pe is= l1y a uated??? 49, ll e ..t 2th e. atfiir thetthe te l 51s levat simu t neo ly ath was 3.6 deive a tJ tosth ba s: h ca e]? Ittains th r l 45 n i s ev edh s tlqnh i the sp I .hh I J QE PW int ll=.. f%.$ 5 '33 .Of the conveyor.V h b ti suil whereafter the sprin g n tu ns he ham .4 .1 ..r 4, down i to th nposi q Q oih he draw n The roll 45, will p ev nt thes it' en f om being elevated, even though relatively large fish are threaded onto the spit In the embodiment as illustrated the-fish conveyor 2 6 is adapted to thread eighteen fishesonto the spit I, before it is removed and replacedjoy an empty spit, When being replaced, i.,e., after theroller45 has been elevated, the filled spit I is elevated by two arms 50 that are secured to therotatable shafts 39 d 9 d a e at th r. iree end u ve fies 9! .The u e .0 of .is. 9l re toe ro bl ha tita. to wh h ssswmsi pr cket ,4T .Thesnroclset 4.! a1 is d ive b a c in ,4 qe ro l t 4 wredtc h sha .3 Brt n h tha h t 3.2 the 5 Phsfirl 50 aresw h o that the rh s rs literamr u war sa i ta chthe sh ahqelevate heam their continued movement "upwards the fingers 69 together with the spit are moved through the openings 59 in front of the edges 63 of the bars 44 and catch the spit and elevate the same out of the recesses 33 of the conveyor 26. Then the row of fish is hanging vertically on the spit, which is moved by the arms 50 into the position shown in Fig. 2, wherefrom it drops onto a frame 3 on the conveyor I. When the arms 56 move upwards toremove a filled spit I from the conveyor 26 a group of conveyor pockets is in position exactly above the conveyor I, so that the arms 56 can pass through the conveyor 26 in front of two recessed plates 29, as shown in Fig. 1. On its removal the spit I is by the arms moved transversely over two lateral vertical plates 53, between which the row of fish is hanging down. In'order to prevent the caudal fins of the two outermost fishes of the row from engaging the plates 53, the latter have on their inner surfaces curved guide rims 56 the curvature of which is suchthat the vertical distance between the rim 56 and the path of movement of the spit I is invar iable. Therefore the two outermost fishes of the row will constantly contact the guide rims 56 at a definite distance from the ends of the spits. When the arms 56 have been turned into the position shown in Fig. 2 the spit I drops into a guide between two screens 5I and 52. Thus, the ends of the spit are guided between front edges 54 of the plates 53 and edges 51 of two bars secured to the screen 52, so that the spit drops into the recesses 2 of a frame 3 that has previously delivered empty spits for filling with fish and. thereafter by the conveyor I hasbe'en ad fish conveyor 26, immediately followed by another frame 3 carrying empty spits. In 'orderalso to prevent the caudal fins of the two outermost fishes from contacting the conveyor 'Ithe'edges 54 of the plates 53 as well as the'bottom ends ofthe bars 55 are curved slightly inwards. When the gear segment, 38 hasp'assed the pinion 46 the arms 50, when moving upwards, have .just

1 passed a pair of blade springs 64 that serve as 0. 12t rthla rI.. i hg s. wbt hg eh q 26;. 9

latches to prevent the arms from moving back from that position of rest. After the foremost stepwise "advancing frame 3 'on the conveyor "I has been completely loaded with filled spits'it is removed from the front end of the conveyor "I and introduced into a device to kippe'r 'thefish when hanging on the spits. Simultaneouslyan other frame filled with empty spits is placed onto the rear end of the conveyor I to be advanced "stepwise and deliver spits tothe conveyor'26, whereafter it is moved further to receive from said conveyor spits delivered by a subsequent frame and filled with fish.

Instead of being equipped with 'a single'fi's'h conveyor 26 as well as means for delivery and removal of spits the machine may haverafplurality of juxtaposed con'veyors'for advancingthe fish laterally to a single frame cbnve'yor I extending transversely offthe' fish conveyors; In such case, the length'ofthei onveyti ,has to be increased correspondingly; In jthi' a'r raiigemerit, the conveyor 1 win ateach s't'eiil'o fffiiovemerit advance two, three ,or still 'mdre'spitsfafid each separate conveyor 26 will reeeive rrtsmftne conveyors andimmements juxtaphsedftransverse.

ly to the frame conveyor I may bede'velfipedas those previously described with reference't'o the Thus, if the length of the frame conveyor I is sufficient, the capacity of the machine can be adjusted by variation of the number of fish collecting units cooperating with the frame conveyor. If from each frame every other, every third, etc., of the spits is to be transferred by the arms 36 of each unit said spits might be elevated slightly to be presented to the arms 35 cooperating with the one of the conveyors 26 that has to receive the spit in question. This can be efiected by means of pins 8| that are periodically moved upwards by cams 80 secured to the shaft 35. In Figs. 10 and 11 such an arrangement is shown in which two fish conveyors 26 and implements belonging thereto driven by a joint shaft l6 cooperate with theconveyor 1.

- I claim:

1. A fish collecting machine having a conveyor for feeding the fish transversely, means for sup-. porting a spit longitudinally of the fish feeding direction to receive fish successively advanced and threaded by said conveyor on to said spit, and means for successively supplying said supporting means with empty'spits and for successively removing filled spits from said supporting means.

2. A fish collecting machine having a conveyor for feeding the fish transversely, means for supporting a spit longitudinally of the fish feeding direction to receive fish successively advanced and threaded by said conveyor on to said spit, another conveyor extending transversely to the fish feeding direction and adapted to convey spits transversely, means operative at one side of said fish conveyor for'successively transferring empty spits from said spit conveyor to said supporting means, and means operative at the other side of said fish conveyor for successively transferring filled spits from said supporting means to said spit conveyor.

3. A fish collecting machine having a conveyor provided with impellers for feeding the fish transversely, said impellers being recessed to receive and support a spit placed longitudinally of the fish feeding direction to receive fish successively advanced and threaded by said conveyor on to said spit, and means for successively supplying said conveyor with empty spits and for successively removing filled spits from said conveyor.

4. A fish collecting machine having a conveyor for feeding the fish transversely, means for supporting a spit longitudinally of th fish feeding direction to receive fish successively advanced and threaded by said conveyor on to said spit, means or successively supplying said supporting means with empty spits and for successively removing filled spits from said supporting means,

. a holder for preventing transversal deviations of the spits when placed into fish receiving position, and means for periodically opening said holder to allow transversal introduction of a spit into said supporting means.

5. A fish collecting machine 'having a conveyor for feeding the fish transversely, means for supporting a spit longitudinally of the fish feeding direction to receive fish successively advanced and threaded by said conveyor on to said spit, means for successively supplying said supporting means with empty spits and for successively removing filled spits from said supporting means,

said spit supplying means having a pair of arms,

a pair of rolling races sloping towards said spit supporting means, and means to swing said arms to successively deliver-spitsto said race.

6. A fish collecting machine having a-conveyor for feeding the fish transversely, means for supporting a spit longitudinally of the fish feeding direction to receive fish successively advanced and threaded by said conveyor on to said spit, means for successively supplying said supporting means with empty spits and for successively removing filled spits from said supporting means, said spit removing means comprising a spit conveyor, a pair of arms, means toswing said arms to periodically transfer a spit from said supporting means to said spit conveyor.

7. A fish collecting machine having a plurality of juxtaposed conveyors'for feeding the fish transversely, a means at each fish conveyor for supporting a spit longitudinally of the fish feeding direction to receive fish successively advanced and threaded by the conveyor on to the spit, another conveyor extending transversely to the fish feeding direction, means operative at one side of each fish conveyor for transferring empty spits from said spit conveyor to said fish conveyors, means for selecting from said spit conveyor spits to be transferred to the several conveyors, and means for transferring filled spits from said supporting means to said spit conveyor. PAUL DANIELSSON. 

